1. Field
The instant invention relates to farm implements for cutting a crop and depositing it in a windrow.
2. State of the Art
Several options are available to farmers with respect to cutting and harvesting equipment. Motorized harvesters specific to a small range of crops can be used to uproot or cut the plants, and separate the fruit or grain from the remainder of the plant. The farmer can also use harvesting implements which attach to, or are towed behind a tractor. Each option has advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage to using motorized harvesters is that they are designed specifically for harvesting, so damage to the crop is minimized thereby increasing the yield per acre. Motorized harvesters, however, have very limited utility outside of one short period during the year. In most instances, harvesters are crop specific, and a special harvester is required for each crop the farmer grows. Motorized harvesters thus represent a considerable investment for a piece of equipment which sits idle for all but a few weeks out of each year.
The main advantages to using cutting and harvesting implements are that equipment costs are reduced, and the tractor is available for use year-round. With few exceptions, however, a towed or attached farm implement is fairly crop specific and accomplishes only one purpose. The farmer must use separate implements for each type of crop, and each operation required during harvesting. This may necessitate several passes through the fields to complete the harvest. For example, row crops such as beans are typically cut, placed in windrows to dry, and later harvested to separate the beans from the plant. Separate implements are required for cutting, windrowing, and harvesting the beans. With the possible exception of the windrower, implements used during harvesting of the row crop can seldom be used to harvest crops planted in broadcast fashion.
Because towed and attached implements must attach to a tractor, the assembly is seldom an optimal configuration for any task. For example, a crop cutter towed behind a tractor necessitates that the tractor tires run over a significant portion of the crop before being cut by the implement. This damages the crop and reduces the yield per acre. The width between rows also differs among crops. A tractor with a wheel track width set to fit between the rows of a certain crop will damage crops which are planted in rows of a different width. Similarly, an implement set to cut a row crop may not work satisfactorily in cutting a crop planted in broadcast fashion.
There is a continuing need for farm implements which can be attached to a tractor to accomplish multiple functions, and which can be used on different types of crops.